LP-Based Algorithms for Scheduling in a Quantum Switch
This work addresses the scheduling challenge in quantum switches arising from stochastic entanglement generation, limited quantum memory, and decoherence. The problem is formulated as a constrained graph matching task, and a linear programming–based scheduling strategy is proposed: feasible schedules are obtained by selecting a point within the matching polytope and applying randomized decomposition. A novel single-node reference Markov chain is introduced to derive a lower bound on the service rate, and system stability is established via Lyapunov drift analysis. The study further demonstrates that throughput converges exponentially to the infinite-buffer limit as memory capacity increases. The algorithm operates in polynomial time and achieves substantial throughput under typical quantum network parameters, with its performance lower bound rapidly improving as memory size grows.